There was a new confidence in her walk, one that had change much since her revelation. Siv had begun to gain weight on her previously lean figure, which was due large in part to her lack of travel. It was doubtful she would ever be anything more than the willowy-shaped thing she was now, but she certainly would see her daughter grow strong. Everyday the pup grew bolder, and Siv was glad for the added eyes to watch her.
It was the coyote woman, mostly, and Siv was more than happy with her. While her broken English was often hard at times to understand, she was caring and worked well for simple things. Siv had been delighted to learn she could cook, and taken advantage of this on many nights. Yet Siv hunted not only for food but for supplies as well. She had already converted the blackish-silver fox pelt into a bag for her runes, and allowed her daughter to play with the tail as she pleased. Fox pelts were useful for their fur, but they were not alone in this.
Her attention had turned to the coast. There had been many peculiar things to be found there, and she was excited about the prospect of seal. Having never hunted or tasted such a thing before, Siv was eager to see what could be made from them. In her lupus form, she moved with the easy grace of a predator, large and lithe, and headed towards the east.
Odessa had finished her work that morning. It had consisted of finishing sewing up the cover for the rabbits hutch, after all while they were suited to this weather one could never be sure. Besides, it hadn't taken long at all, the only downfall had been the fact that Odessa had not accounted for Juan deep interest in the spool the thick thread was wrapped around. Keshi had been seen too, though there was very little to do. Simply sliding his rug back into position and handing him a treat hardly seemed a chore to the would be medic. Juan had required feeding, but again it was an easy task. Strips of choice rabbit meat were stored away to keep fresh and the Margay was happy enough to feast upon it.
When she was finished, she pulled on her thick spotted deer skin cloak. Juan had decided to venture out also, albeit secure in Odessa's bag. The medic moved towards the coast, eager to investigate the seals. As she did her eyes spotted the woman she'd met a while back, outside Salsolian lands. She hadn't caught her name before hand, but she was cautious of frightening off the seals so before she announced herself she closed the distances between her and the woman. 'Hello' she said, smiling up at her dark pelted pack mate.
The thick winter pelt that Siv’s bloodline boasted was all she needed for this temperate winter. The Hearg, given its location, had suffered through cold that did not compare to these costal fronts. She suspected this would not last; snow would most certainly be common with this large bay, and this would put her stealth at a disadvantage. Luckily, Siv was a crafty woman and took full advantage of this talent. Crouched in a squatting position, the dark wolf turned her head at the familiar voice.
For an instant, a savage and terrible fury blew through her eyes, but it was gone as suddenly as it had come. Siv could not blame her now, knowing what Salsola expected, but oh it would have made her life much easier to walk in with a name to go with that pretty little face. She returned the smile easily, eyeteeth hanging over her lips, and extended her face in the greeting as had been expected. Curiously, she eyed the spotted beast poking out from the younger woman’s pouch. How odd.
“I still don’t know your name, my dear blackbird,” Siv cooed lowly, using the soft tones reserved for children. This girl was not a child, but she understood the importance of flattery here. Even if she had no true connections, she was likely brought up in this land at that alone would carry weight. “Have you come for the…seals?” she recalled, suddenly, having learned the name from the Russian coyote.
'And I didn't seem to catch yours either' Odessa quipped quickly, her hand caressing Juan's soft fur. The woman's words were flattering, but while her appearance said timid, gentle girl, her mind was as sharp as any knife. The medic didn't react to this, it was almost enjoyable to have someone wishing to get something from her. It made her feel some what special. 'It's Odessa. Odessa D'Angelo' she supplied, turning to look at the seals. 'Have you come for the... seals? The girl shrugged, 'No. But now I'm here...' It had been to escape her home that she ventured out, she was almost constantly occupied and free time was rare in her life.
'Are you intending to hunt them?' she questioned, gesturing loosely towards the rubbery creatures. She herself had no intention but if Siv was going to then perhaps she could attempt to help. After all being seen building bridges with fellow pack members could open up doors. Particularly to the Family rank. This was her main goal, alongside gaining a co-rank. Of course she had other goals, many of which she'd already achieved such as the rabbit's hutch and run.
Ah, just as sharp as she had been that first day. Siv was pleased by this. It meant Salsola raised their children right. The name given was foreign, but the surname belonged to several of the stranger-family here. Siv imagined that most of these people were related in some way or another—she understood the way the bloodlines tied and gave strength, after all. Even if she no longer could claim her own, nothing stopped her from finding another.
“Siv,” she replied, deliberately leaving out her surname (as she had been doing for a time). “I do not think this will be much of a hunt,” the dark woman added, pale eyes returning to the shore. There were two calves crying on the sand, but no mother in sight. Nature was cruel in this way, but she did not fail to accept the gift for more than what it might be. “I’m after their pelts,” Siv explained, sitting up slightly. Her height alone left her towering above the girl, but in her current crouch, they were equal. “So the less damage to them, the better.”
'Siv...' she echoed softly. It was as foreign as her name, but she couldn't place it. Siv had left out her surname, but Odessa didn't mind. Most likely here, in Salsola, even in Nova Scotia, it was insignificant. Odessa never failed to mention her name. It gave her her ties to Larkspur and from there, Eris. it was a badge of honour for the girl and she saw no point in hiding her ties. As shy and gentle as she seemed, she was no less cunning and sly.
Odessa stared out towards the bay, spotting the seals, the calves in particular. It didn't upset her much, as she near adulthood she had learnt nature was harsh, but everything happened for a purpose and she was helpless to prevent it. She'd long been apathetic to the suffering that nature dealt out. She turned back to Siv with a brief smile, 'I don't know how much help I will be' she paused for a moment, glancing back to the calves. 'What do you want me to do?' She didn't suppose that the calves would put up much of a fight, it was really only the adults she had to fear,
One thing that Siv did not do, for she was wise in these ways, was underestimate anyone. Power need not be physical, need not be savage and vocal to be present. The smallest snake could kill a horse with venom, and so too were people like this. She might have thought Odessa, who was slight of frame and shy in her body language, was weak for such things. Yet those eyes…oh they were quite terrible in their own way, perhaps in such fires as the girl herself did not know. She had potential within her, and Siv doubted that Salsola, as she knew it, would allow such a thing to be wasted.
It had been part of her decision to stay, after all. If Salsola would produce children like Eris’, well trained and ferocious in spirit and body, then her own daughter would become mighty. Nurture was as much a part of the final outcome as was the heredity and the nature of a beast. Magic, too, played a part. She had denied this for so long yet now understood that even doubt was a test of faith. The witch had been rewarded with more than simply a title she had long held upon that long, terrible night.
The dark woman watched her smaller companion quietly, assessing her as one might an untested horse. She finally smiled. “I have never hunted seal,” she admitted, unashamed of such a fact. In the north, the waterways had been rivers only. “And I do not wish to damage their pelts. I may be able to break the spine,” she glanced to the fat babies, eyes narrowing. “Do you think you can hold them still? They don’t look as if they’d put up much fight, but it will be easier for me this way.” And less cruel, ultimately. If she managed to make a clean break by snapping the neck there would be no pain, only a sharp and sudden blackness. Additionally (and more importantly) the pelt would be fully intact for her to do as she pleased.
Perhaps she didn't know the power she held. For so long she had possessed a diminutive, gentle persona to protect herself for the harshness a rogue Associate could find themselves subjected to. And as a Family member she found it had to shake the feeling. She'd proven herself and had been rewarded for her word. For now she was safe at least. It would be harder for her to fall and yet so much easier. For one, she had proven herself an asset, but, for two? She was trusted with more and to do more and as such she had less space to slip up in. Of course this could have simply been her wandering mind, always fretting and thinking, she truly had no idea what actually went on as one clambered high up the hierarchy of Salsola. She assumed she'd find out if she proved herself properly.
Odessa nodded, a string of confidence showing through, 'I think I can' she replied, nodding solidly before planning her route along the beach. An easy enough task for one with more stealth than pure physical strength. Her pumpkin hue eyes gazed at the seals, they appeared slippery, like what people usually thought snakes felt like. Rubbery and wet, difficult to catch hold of but again Odessa had never encountered seals before and as such had no idea how it felt to touch one. As Siv explained her ways, Odessa nodded. It was merely the way of life and even she saw that Siv's method was the fastest, most painless and, in the ultimate end, the most humane way of ending their days.
'Here we go...' Odessa hummed aloud to herself as she crept along. While there were no adults on the beach she was cautious and paranoid, because they could turn up at any given moment. She selected a nearby seal pup, yet one far away from a spot where it would create a stir and approached it carefully. Kneeling beside it, she make a quick and quiet movement and held it down. The grey seal pup squirmed a bit, but remained still after finding out its movements were hampered. It made little sound too. Looking up to Siv, she waited.
#314 :: We can probably wrap this up after our next round; I think that's all we need to claim the prompt points.
Power was a figurative thing. One could make power as long as others obeyed. A strong man might not lead; Siv had been startled to see a man as tall and imposing as Larkspur following someone as lithe as Sirius. Still, she did not fret over such issues. There was a comfortable pace to life here, and she had begun to settle into it well.
There was little need for brutality in her attack. The dark girl crept out with a huntress’ stealth and pressed her weight down on a pup. Siv had expected it to cry, but perhaps it was already weak and dying. She advanced quickly, moving on four legs despite her Optime form, and soon came to the head of the beast. It had dark, sorrow-filled eyes. Staring into them, Siv understood that the pup already knew it was destined to die. A faint and sad look flickered across her own amethyst eyes as they locked onto those black pools. Her lips moved but no sound came out; she whispered silently to her gods and then raised her hands.
A strong woman because of her size, Siv grasped the baby’s head with no mercy. She clenched her fingers onto places they would not slip, and with a single sharp wretch, cracked the neck. It was a quiet sound, muffled by the girl atop the animal and the fat of the beast itself. There was a slight noise as the death rattle escaped, and then it was gone. Siv was pleased by this and nodded to the girl. “That was not so bad. If you don’t mind, we could try for a few more. I will make you something for your help, if you wish.” Trade was an essential part of this place. Trade established bonds and brought the Family together, and Siv recognized this despite her short time within the place.
Odessa kept her mouth firmly clasped as Siv went about her work. Perhaps it was cruel, but neither the medic nor the huntress thought so.To them it was quite obviously the way of the world. Everything had to die and Odessa had been exposed to that fact fairly early on both literally and spiritually. After all she was nearly culled for the shade of her pelt, the ultimate sin. She did pity the seal as she pinned it down, but the poor soul didn't particularly struggle so she assume it was close to death either way, without Siv's prompt work.
Of course, as much as she pitied the creatures, she was up for hunting more of them. Their meat, fat and hides would greatly benefit the thistle lands and as a proud patriot Odessa would never turn down an opportunity to honour her home and her leaders. 'Sure. We may as well since we may not get that chance again' she replied standing up, 'And that would be very nice, thank you' the medic laced her words with a smile. Her thin hands dusted down the sand and dirt from her knees and hands as she glanced around the beach, eyeing up more targets.
There was so much to be gained from a single life. Siv had no mercy in her, save for her daughter alone. To live with empathy was to live with weakness; she culled these things from her life as was the way of the Hearg. By destroying the need for others she had ensured her own safety. A great stone wall was formed around her, and from atop it she stood and watched all—her observations of life and its ways had made her magic all the more potent. By controlling the landscape with reason, she was able to blind the flickering candle of doubt with talk of her shadowy world. Magic was a lie; because she knew it as this, its truth was all the more powerful.
Siv hoisted the seal up, testing its weight. It was not as heavy as she had imagined, but still large enough to give her concern for the number they could carry. She lowered it to the sand. “I believe I can carry three without hindering myself,” she said, keeping in mind her need to not drag the hides. “If you can bring one, it will be yours. What would you like? You are a medic, yes? A bag might suit your needs.” Siv rose, turning her attention down to the shore. Dark nostrils flared as she took in the salty scent of the animals, curious as to how often such a gift was delivered to the shore.
'Sure, I can get one' she said, moving over to a smaller one in relation to the trio they had already hunted and the procedure was repeated for a final time that day. Odessa stood testing the weight before managing, somehow, to hold it steady and walk with it. The hunting trip had been rather enjoyable in all honesty. While other perhaps cringed at the thought of killing an animal for no real reason, Odessa understood it as the luperci's place in the world. And besides, it had been an enjoyable experience to form bonds with her pack mates. Things which in Salsola proved valuable in the long term, for it could mean promotions in rank for both the innocent medic girl and the dark, mysterious woman before her.
'A bag? That would be ever so useful if you could' she said smiling at the offer. While Novak could easily do the job himself, it was nice to be offered something she could not demand at her own time scale. Gifts were always welcome after all. And Odessa was proud to have earned something even though she had only offered to help to be nice. Perhaps there was a subconscious thing that drove her to offer help in prospect of finding gifts though.
